Sunday, January 15, 2012

We left feeling really overwhelmed and concerned about the potential for corruption on the country's end.

Things just did not sit well with us, and the director's repeated complaints about the Hague accreditation process did not help.

I really don't care if it makes more work for you... that's your job... and it's important... and you are getting paid for it.

She really bemoaned that long gone are the days of bringing home a 2 month old (or in her case a 2 DAY old...um... they aren't orphaned in the womb... so how did you secure that adoption?) (Talking international here, not domestic, just to be clear)

Wow, she was glib.

This is our biggest concern with an African adoption and this was CLEARLY not theirs.

That's a problem.

So, now we're kind of freaked out.

We have a meeting with another agency in 2 weeks, and we'll see.

I don't know what direction we'll take now.

Our point is to bring home a waiting child, not an infant. This has been a personal goal of mine since I worked in foster care in NYC 13+ years ago. Domestic adoption for US waiting children is available only for children 7 & up, which makes them an inappropriate placement for our household, at this time. Fostering younger children, while an option age wise, would be just too difficult on our girls emotionally. It is still an option for the future, when our children are older. This is how we've come to international adoption, and there is extensive need, but there are also concerns. We're walking that line right now.

Which brings us to special needs adoption, which I've also felt called to for MANY years. This is something that I feel particularly well suited to, and there is a huge need, and we can be 100% sure that these children are truly orphaned. But are we all up for it?

So, that's that. For today.

Next week? We tour charter school 1 followed the next week by charter school 2.

So, I've got major decisions all up in my bees wax these days.

Thankfully, I've got the help of Superhero Pioneer Baby by my side:On other fronts I rearranged my living room, thanks to my 99 year old grandmother's generous donation of a couple of oil paintings. And I am in love. It's SO much better.

BEFORE (this is the day I was packing up our Christmas decorations... holy crap we have a LOT of decorations it took me from 3 PM- 2 AM to do it all... believe it... so just look around them for the basic furniture layout)

AFTER: rearranged the couch & reading chair w/ottoman, added 2 oil paintings & tin work (10th anniversary gift) on couch wall, added desk & lamp. The rattan chairs we got at World Market for just over $100 each a couple of months ago... and it really solved the problem we had of needed seating in front of that built in. For now, I'm cool with this. We have 2 wall sconces that will eventually (eventually) get placed in here since there is no overhead lighting. One will go next to the built in bookcase in that space between the bookcase and the 2 venetian jester watercolors (just FYI in case that space bothers you like it does me).

Enjoy but please keep this in mind...

Except when otherwise noted all recipes are the personal and creative property of Mrs Furious. Although you are welcome to cook them up and share them with your neighbor.... any attempt to reprint or profit from them is not permitted.